7. He shall come at the end of [another] week and inspect it, and if it has returned, he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the mortar of the house, and he shall carry them forth out of the house into an unclean place P A spreading that adjoins [the first leprosy- sign counts as a spreading] however small it is; if it is distant, it must be the size of a split bean. And, in houses, [the leprosy-sign] when it returns, must be the size of two split beans.
foreign lands, and also Jerusalem, since this was not divided for a possession among the tribes.
1 Lev. i41J. This and the following verses from Leviticus are treated fl/idr ai/i-fashion (App. I. 27). Cf. Sot. 8‘; Sanh. 2*; to4®.
1 Although these are not susceptible to uncleanness.
J Which cannot be made clean again by immersion, but must be broken.
4 Cf. Kel. 3* s Variant: stand. 6 Lev. 14**.
7 Where certain acts are ordained with the subject in the plural, implying that both the occupant of the leprous house and his neighbour share in pulling down and rebuilding; whereas the plastering is enjoined in the singular.
* To rebuild their common wall. 9 Lev. 14“.
13. 1. Ten cases arise in houses [wherein a leprosy-sign appears]. If during the first week it became faint, or if it disappeared, it needs but to be scraped and is then clean. If during the second week it became faint or if it disappeared, it needs but to be scraped, and the [pair of] birds1 must be brought. If it spread during the first week, the stone must be taken out and the wall scraped and [another stone put in its stead and] plastered, and it must be left during another week; if then it returned the house must be pulled down; if it did not return, the [pair of] birds must be brought. If it remained unchanged during the first week and spread during the second week the stone must be taken out and the wall scraped and [another stone put in its stead and] plastered, and it must be left during another week; if then it returned the house must be pulled down; if it did not return, the [pair of] birds must be brought. If it remained unchanged during both the weeks, the stone must be taken out and the wall scraped and [another stone put in its stead and] plastered, and it must be left during another week; if then it returned the house must be pulled down; if it did not return the [pair of] birds must be brought. If the leprosy-sign appeared therein before it was made clean through the [pair of] birds, the house must be pulled down, and if it appeared after it was made clean through the [pair of] birds, it must be inspected anew as at the beginning.
2. When a stone that is in a comer is taken out it must be taken out wholly;2 but when a house must be pulled down a man need pull down only what belongs to him and may leave what belongs to his fellow. Thus greater stringency applies to taking out than to pulling down. R. Eliezer says: If the house was built with [walls having alternate courses of] great stones and small stones,3 and the leprosy-sign appeared on a great stone, he must take it out wholly; but if on the small stones he need take out only what belongs to him and may leave what belongs to his fellow.
3. If the leprosy-sign appeared in a house that had an upper room above it, the roof beams must be left for the upper room; if it appeared in the upper room the beams must be left for the lower house. If it had no upper room, its stones and wood and earth must all be pulled down with it; but a man may save the frames and the window lattices. R. Judah says: The frame [for the beams] built over it must be pulled down with it. Its stones and wood and earth convey uncleanness if they are of an olive’s bulk. R. Eleazar Hisma says: Whatsoever their bulk.
4. A house that is shut up conveys uncleanness from its inner side, and one that has been certified unclean both from its inner side and from its outer side. Both alike convey uncleanness by entering in.4 5. If a man used stones from a house that was shut up5 to build into a house that was clean, and the leprosy-sign came back to the [first] house, he must pull out the stones. If it came again upon the stones, the first house must be pulled down, and the stones serve the second house [only] while the tokens are under inspection.6 6. If a house overshadowed another house that was afflicted with leprosy (so, too, if a tree overshadowed a house that was afflicted with leprosy), 1 Lev. 14". * Although it forms part of his neighbour’s house.
) The great stones can be seen on either side of the common wali, whereas the small stones face only to the one side. ♦ Lev. 14**. See below, par. 9.
* The case is analogous with that cited above, 11*.
* The second house is shut up to see whether the leprosy sign spreads in the second house, and then the stones from the first house must be taken out.
694 SIXTH DIVISION: TOHOROTH and a man entered within the outermost of the two, he remains clean. So R. Eleazar b. Azariah. R. Eliezer said: If one stone of the house can convey uncleanness by entering in, shall not the house itself convey uncleanness by entering in?
7. If a man unclean [from leprosy] stood beneath a tree and one that was clean passed by, he becomes unclean; if he that was clean stood beneath the tree and he that was unclean passed by, he remains clean; but if [he that was unclean] stood still the other becomes unclean. So, too, if a man carried [beneath a tree] a stone afflicted with leprosy, he [that was standing beneath the tree] remains clean; but if he set it down the other becomes unclean.
8. If a man that was clean put his head and the greater part of his body inside a house that was unclean, he becomes unclean; and if a man that was unclean put his head and the greater part of his body inside a house that was clean he renders it unclean. If a piece, three fingerbreadths square, of a cloak that was clean was put inside a house that was unclean, it becomes unclean; and if an unclean cloak, even an olive’s bulk of it, was put inside a clean house, it renders it unclean.
9. If a man entered a house afflicted with leprosy, bearing his garments on his shoulder and his sandals and rings in his hands, he and they forth¬ with become unclean; but if he was clothed with his garments and had his sandals on his feet and his rings on his hand, he forthwith becomes unclean but they remain clean, unless he stayed there time enough to eat a half-loaf1 of bread — wheaten bread and not barley bread, and while in a reclining position and eating the bread with condiment.
10. If he was standing inside with his hand stretched outside and with his rings on his hands, and he stayed time enough to eat a half-loaf, they become unclean. If he was standing outside with his hand stretched inside and with his rings on his hands, R. Judah declares him forthwith un¬ clean. But the Sages say: [Only] after he shall have stayed time enough to eat a half-loaf. They said to R. Judah: If, when his whole body is un¬ clean, he does not render what is upon him unclean until he has stayed long enough to eat a half-loaf, is not the inference that, when only part of his body is unclean, he does not render what is upon him unclean until he shall have stayed long enough to eat a half-loaf?
11. If a leper enters a house every vessel therein becomes unclean, even to the height of the roof beams. R. Simeon says: Only to a height of four cubits. The vessels become unclean forthwith. R. Judah says: Only if he stayed time enough for to light a lamp.
12. When he enters a synagogue they must make for him a partition ten handbreadths high and four cubits wide. He must enter in first and come forth last. Whatsoever by having a tightly stopped-up cover affords protection [from uncleanness] in the ‘Tent’ wherein lies a corpse,2 likewise affords protection by having a tightly stopped-up cover in a house that is afflicted with leprosy. And whatsoever, when covered, affords protection from uncleanness in the ‘Tent’ wherein lies a corpse,3 also, when covered, affords protection in a house afflicted with leprosy. So R. Meir. R. Jose says: Whatsoever by having a tightly stopped-up cover affords protection in the ‘Tent’ wherein lies a corpse, will, even if only covered, afford protection in a house afflicted with leprosy; and whatsoever, when covered, 1 Cf. Erub. 8s; Ker. 3\ 2 See Kel. 101. 3 See Ohol. 50.
affords protection in the ‘Tent* wherein lies a corpse, remains clean even when uncovered in a house afflicted with leprosy.
14. 1. How did they cleanse the leper?1 He brought a new earthenware flask and put therein a quarter -log2 of living water; and he brought two birds that had lived in freedom. The priest slaughtered one of them over the earthenware vessel and over the living water, and dug a hole and buried it in his presence. He took cedarwood and hyssop and scarlet wool and bound them together with the ends of the strip [of wool]; and brought near to them the tips of the wings and the tip of the tail of the second bird; and dipped them [in the blood of the slaughtered bird] and sprinkled [the blood] seven times on the back of the leper’s hand; and some say, also on his forehead. So likewise used they to sprinkle the lintel of the house from outside.
2. He then came to set free the living bird. He used not to turn his face toward the sea or toward the city or toward the wilderness, for it is written, But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open field* He then came to cut off the hair of the leper. He passed the razor over the whole of his skin4 and washed his garments and immersed himself; and thus he became so clean that he no more conveyed uncleanness by entering in, yet he [still] conveyed uncleanness like a creeping thing:5 he could enter Within the city wall but he was forbidden to enter into his house for seven days,6 and he was not allowed marital connexion.
3. On the seventh day he cut off his hair a second time after the manner of the first cutting. He washed his garments and immersed himself; and thus he became clean so that he no more conveyed uncleanness like a creeping thing but was become like one that had immersed himself the selfsame day [because of uncleanness],7 and so could eat of [Second] Tithe. After he had awaited sunset he could eat of Heave-offering; and after he had brought his offering of atonement he could eat of the Hallowed Things. Thus there are three stages in the purification of the leper; so, too, there are three stages in the purification of a woman after childbirth.8 4. There are three that must cut off the hair, and their cutting it off is a religious duty: the Nazirite,9 the leper,10 and the levites;11 and if any of these cut it off but not with a razor, or left two hairs remaining, they have done nothing.
5. The two birds should be alike in appearance, in size and in value and have been bought at the same time;12 yet even if they are not alike they are valid and if one was bought one day and the other on the morrow they are valid. If one was slaughtered and it was found that it had not lived in freedom, a fellow may be bought for the second, and the first is permitted to be eaten. If one was slaughtered and it was found to be ter ef ah, 13 a fellow may be bought for the second and the first is permitted for use. If the blood * But cf. above, a4 (end). * Lev. n*^1. See App. IV. 8b, 12a, i7d.
* Lev. 14*. See Kel. t*,‘ a leper in his days of reckoning'.
7 He does not render ordinary food unclean, but only Heave-offering and Hallowed * Lev. 121. After seven days (from the birth of a male, or fourteen from the birth of a female) the is clean for her husband; after immersion after forty days (from the birth of a male, or eighty from the birth of a female), and awaiting sunset, she is of such a degree of cleanness that she may eat of Heave-offering; and after she has brought the prescribed offerings she may eat of Hallowed Things. * Num. 61*.
696 SIXTH DIVISION: TOHOROTH had been poured away [before the sprinkling] the one that was to be let loose must be left to die. If the one that was to be let loose died, the blood [of the other] must be poured away.
6. The cedar wood should be one cubit in length, and its thickness the quarter of the thickness of the leg of a bed — one [leg] divided into two, and these two into four. The hyssop should not be Greek hyssop or stibium- hyssop or Roman hyssop or wild hyssop or any kind of hyssop to which a special name is given.1 7. On the eighth day2 he brought three beasts: a Sin-offering, a Guilt¬ offering and a Whole-offering. If he was poor,3 he brought a Sin-offering of a bird and a Whole-offering of a bird.
8. He came to the Guilt-offering, put his two hands thereon; and it was slaughtered. Two priests received its blood, the one in a vessel and the other in his hand. He that received it in a vessel went and tossed it against the front of the Altar. And he that received it in his hand came to the leper. And the leper had immersed himself in the Chamber of the Lepers,4 and he came and stood at the Nicanor Gate.s R. Judah says: He did not need to immerse himself.
9. He put his head inside [the Temple Court] and [the priest] put [the blood] on the tip of his ear; then [he put in] his hand, and the priest put the blood on the thumb of his hand; then [he put in] his foot— and he put the blood on the great toe of his foot. R. Judah says: He put them in all three together. If he had not a thumb on his hand or a great toe on his foot, or a right ear, he could never have purification. R. Eliezer says: The blood may be put in the place where they were. R. Simeon says: If it was put on the left side, he has fulfilled his obligation.
10. The priest took of the log of oil6 and poured it into his fellow’s hand; but if he poured it into his own hand that suffices. He dipped [his finger in the oil] and sprinkled it seven times toward the Holy of Holies, dipping anew for every sprinkling. He came to the leper; in the places where he put the blood there also he put the oil, for it is written, Upon the place of the blood of the Guilt-offering; and the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed to make atonement.1 If he put it thereon it made atonement; if he did not put it thereon it did not make atonement. So R. Akiba. R. Johanan b. Nuri says: These are but the residue8 of the ordinance: whether he put it thereon or did not put it thereon, it has made atonement, yet to him it is reckoned as though he had not made atonement.9 If the log was found to lack aught before it was poured out, its measure may be filled up; but if after it was poured out, other oil must be brought anew. So R. Akiba. R. Simeon says: If the log was found to lack aught before it was put [on the members of the leper] its measure may be filled up; but if after it was put thereon, other oil must be brought anew.
xi. If a leper brought his offering as a poor man10 and he became rich, or as a rich man and he became poor, all must follow according to what the Sin-offering was.11 So R. Simeon. But R. Judah says: According to what the Guilt-offering was.
8 Cf. p. 505, n. 7. 9 In the rightful and prescribed fashion.
11 The order of the offerings was (Lev. I41S- 21) Guilt-offering, Sin-offering, and 12. If a poor leper brought the offering of a rich leper he has fulfilled his obligation; if a rich leper brought the offering of a poor leper he has not fulfilled his obligation. A man may bring a poor man’s offering on behalf of his son or daughter or his bondman or bondwoman, and so enable them to eat of the animal-offerings.1 R. Judah says: But he must bring a rich man’s offering on behalf of his wife; and the same applies to whatsoever other offering she may be liable.2 13. If the offerings of two lepers were confused, and the offering of one of them was offered, and then one of them died — this is what the men of Alexandria asked of R. Joshua. He said to them: Let him assign his property to another, and bring a poor man’s offering.
1. 1. R. Eliezer says: The heifer [whose neck is to be broken]4 must be [not more than] one year old; and the [Red] Heifer [not more than] two years old. But the Sages say: The heifer may be two years old and the Red Heifer three years old or four. R. Meir says: Even five years old. An older heifer is valid, but they may not suffer it to wTait so long lest any hair in it turns black, and that it may not [otherwise]5 become invalid. R. Joshua said: I have never heard that any [was valid] save a ‘three-year-old’ (sheloshith). They said to him, Why dost thou use the term sheloshith? He said to them, Thus have I heard it6 but without explanation. Ben Azzai said, I will explain it: When thou sayest shelishith it means ‘the third’ in number in relation to others; but when thou sayest sheloshith it means something that is three years old. In like manner have they spoken of a ‘four-year-old’ {reba'i) vineyard. They said to him, Why dost thou use the term reba'il He said to them, Thus have I heard it without explanation. Ben Azzai said, I will explain it: When thou sayest rebi'i it means ‘the fourth’ in number in relation to others; but when thou sayest reba'i it means something that is four years old. In like manner they have said: If a man ate in a house afflicted with leprosy [he becomes unclean if he stayed time enough to eat] a half-loaf,7 [the size] of which is three to the kab.s They said to him, ‘Say, rather, eighteen to the seah’.s He said to them, Thus have I heard it but without explanation. Ben Azzai said, I will explain it: When thou sayest ‘three to the kab’ it means that it had not been liable to Whole-offering; if his condition changed after he had brought a bird as a Sin-offering, his Whole-offering must be a bird; if, as a rich man, his Sin-offering had been a ewe- lamb, his Whole-offering, even if he becomes poor, must be a he-lamb.
1 i.e. complete the third stage in their purification; cf. above, 143.
2 Her offering must be according to her husband’s condition in life.
3 Lit. ‘heifer’, namely the Red Heifer which, in accordance wdth the prescriptions of Num. i9l~22, is to be burnt, its ashes collected together and laid up ‘without the camp in a clean place’. These ashes were to be mixed with w'ater ‘for a w'ater of separation: it is a sin offering’ { 1 g°). This water is called throughout the Mishnah ‘the water of the Sin- offering’ (cf. Num. 87; R.V. ‘water of expiation’). If men or utensils contracted ‘corpse- uncleanness’ (thereby becoming unclean for seven days) this ‘Sin-offering water’ must be sprinkled on them on the third and seventh days; they must afterwards be immersed and at sunset they become clean (Num. 1919). See App. IV. 1 c (i), 9, 12 a, 15. From Num. 199 it is inferred that the Sin-offering water requires conditions of cleanness a grade higher even than is required for Hallowed Things; thus what is accounted clean so far as Heave-offering and Hallowed Things are concerned, is uncleanness in what concerns Sin-offering water and those who are engaged with it. 4 See Deut. 2ilff.
s By bearing the yoke or suffering a blemish (Num. 192).
8 See App. II, D. There are six kabs to the seah.
SIXTH DIVISION: TOHOROTH Dough-offering;1 but when thou sayest ‘eighteen to the seah' it means that the Dough-offering that was taken from it has lessened the loaf [somewhat].
2. R. Jose the Galilean says: Bullocks must be [not more than] two years old, for it is written, And ‘a second [year]’ bullock of the herd shalt thou take for a Sin-offering.2 But the Sages say: They may even be three years old. R. Meir says: Even if they are four years old or five they are valid; but they do not offer them that are old out of reverence [towards the Altar].
3. Lambs must be [not more than] one year old, and rams [not more than] two years old; and always the year is reckoned from day to day.3 What is thirteen months old is not valid whether as a ram or as a lamb. R. Tarfon calls such a one a pallaxf Ben Azzai calls it a naked R. Ishmael calls it a parakltadeigma.6 If a man offered it he must bring for it the Drink- offerings of a ram, but it is not accounted to his credit as his prescribed animal-offering.7 If it was thirteen months old and a day it counts as a ram.
4. The Sin-offerings of the congregation8 and their Whole-offerings,9 the Sin-offerings of an individual, the Guilt-offering of a Nazirite10 and the Guilt-offering of a leper11 are valid from the time that they are thirty days old and upwards, and even on the thirtieth day. And if they were offered on the eighth day they are valid. Vow-offerings and freewill-offerings, Firstlings12 and Tithe [of Cattle]13 and the Passover-offering are valid from the eighth day onwards, and even on the eighth day.
2. 1. R. Eliezer says: If the [Red] Heifer for the Sin-offering was with young it is valid. But the Sages declare it invalid. R. Eliezer says: It may not be bought from gentiles. But the Sages declare such a one valid; and not only this, but any of the offerings of the congregation and of the individual may be brought from within the Land [of Israel] or from outside of it, from new produce or from old, save only the Omer1* and the Two Loaves,15 which may be brought only from new produce and from within the Land [of Israel].
2. If the horns and hoofs of the Heifer were black they may be chopped off. [If there was a blemish] in the eye-socket or the teeth or the tongue they do not render the heifer invalid. If it was dwarflike it is still valid. If there was a wen on it and this was cut off, R. Judah declares it invalid. R. Simeon says: If it grew no red hair at the place whence it was removed it is invalid.
3. If it was born from the side or was the hire [of a harlot] or the price [of a dog] it is invalid. R. Eliezer declares it valid, for it is written, Thou shalt not bring the hire of a harlot or the price of a dog into the house of the Lord thy Gotf;16 whereas the Heifer was not brought into the Temple.
1 Num. is1*®. Dough is liable to Dough-offering if it is made from more than five quarter-fajir of flour (Hall. 1 *).
1 Num. 8*. R.V. ‘another young bullock'. But if the word means only ‘another’ it is superfluous.
1 i.e. a full calendar year: from the day in the one year to the corresponding day of the next year. * irdAAa£, a youth, or maiden.
i In Amos 11; 2 Kings 34, the word is used in the sense of herdsman.
6 Variant: parakkarigma. Cf. napaxapayna, a counterfeit coin. All three terms, although their precise application in the circumstances is uncertain, are intended to illustrate the fact that at the age of thirteen months they are useless.
7 Whether his offering should have been a ‘he-lamb’ or a ‘ram’.
* Lev. 4m. * Whether Iambs or he-goats.
Any blemish that renders animal-offerings invalid renders the Heifer invalid.1 If a man had ridden thereon or leaned thereon or if aught had been hung on its tail or if any had crossed a river by its help or doubled its leading-rope on its back or set his cloak on it, it is invalid.2 But if he had fastened it by its leading-rope or made sandals for it lest it slip or spread his cloak over it because of flies, it remains valid. This is the general rule: if aught was done for the sake of the Heifer it remains valid; but if for the sake of any other, the Heifer becomes invalid.
4. If a bird alighted on it it remains valid. If a male beast mounted it it becomes invalid. R. Judah says: If it was made to mount it becomes invalid; but if it acted of itself it remains valid.
5. If it had two black or white hairs [growing] from within a single hole it is invalid. R. Judah says: Or even from within a single hollow'. If they grew from within two hollows that were adjacent, it is invalid. R. Akiba says: Even though there were four or even five but they were dispersed, they may be plucked out. R. Eliezer says: Or even fifty. R. Joshua b. Bathyra says: Even though it has but one on its head and one on its tail, it is invalid. If there were two hairs with their roots black but their tips red, or their roots red but their tips black, all is according to what is the more manifest. So R. Meir. But the Sages say: According to the root.
3. 1. Seven days before the burning of the Heifer the priest that was to burn the Heifer was taken apart from his house3 to a chamber that was opposite the north-eastern comer of the Temple-building; and it was called the House of Stone. And throughout the seven days they sprinkled him [with water] from [the ashes of] all the Sin-offerings that were there.4 R. Jose says: They sprinkled him only on the third and seventh days. R. Hanina the Prefect of the Priests says: They sprinkled the priest that was to bum the Heifer on each of the seven days, but the priest that was set apart for the Day of Atonement they sprinkled only on the third and seventh days.
2. There were courtyards in Jerusalem built over the rock,5 and beneath them the rock was hollowed for fear of any grave down in the depths;6 and they used to bring women while they were pregnant and there they bore their children and reared them. And they brought oxen with doors laid upon their backs, and on these the children sat7 bearing in their hands cups of stone.8 When they reached Siloam they alighted and filled the cups with water and got up again and sat upon the boards. R. Jose says: The child used to let down his cup and fill it without alighting.
3. When they came to the Temple Mount they alighted. Beneath both the Temple Mount and the courts of the Temple9 was a hollowed space for fear of any grave down in the depths. At the entrance10 of the Temple Court was set ready a jar of the [ashes of the] Sin-offering.11 They brought a male from among the sheep, tied a rope between its horns, and tied a stick and 1 Num. 19*, 'wherein is no blemish’. 1 Num. 19*, 'and upon which never came * For fear of danger of uncleanness from unknown graves below.
* As a further precaution, since if by chance there was corpse- uncleanness below, and it had not sufficient space (see p. 649, n. 3) it would cleave upwards through the solid rock.
7 Therefore if they passed over any corpse-uncleanness on the way, the children themselves would not overshadow it, but would be protected by the doors over which they sat.
8 Which are not susceptible to uncleanness.
* See p. 589, n. 11. 10 Between the Rampart and the Court of the Women (Midd. a*). * * Reserved from the ashes of previously burnt Red Heifers.
700 SIXTH DIVISION: TOHOROTH wound it about1 with the [other] end of the rope, and threw it into the jar. The sheep was smitten so that it started backward [and spilled the ashes],2 and the child took of the ashes and mixed3 enough to be visible on the water. R. Jose says: Give not the Sadducees occasion to cavil!4 but, rather, one [of the children] took [the ashes directly] from the jar and mixed them.
4. They might not bring another [heifer for a] Sin-offering by virtue of [the purifications made for] the [first] Sin-offering, or another child by virtue of [the purifications made for] his fellow.5 Even the children needed to be sprinkled. So R. Jose the Galilean. R. Akiba says: They needed not to be sprinkled.